Bittersweet Sacrifice
by iLucienneCarney
Summary: He didn't do it for him, he did it for his family; he did it because he had no choice.


_He didn't do it for him, he did it for his family; he did it because he had no choice._

_**October 31**__**st**__**, 1981, Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire**_

The woman raked a thin comb through the tuft of soft, platinum blonde hair atop her sons head. His big eyes lit up as he gurgled against her chest, his little arm reaching up for the comb in an uncoordinated manner. Smiling down at her four month old, she handed him the black comb, encrusted with tiny emeralds and diamonds along the edge. Now in possession of the comb, he pushed it into the end of the thick blonde ponytail cascading from his mothers head.

"That's it, little one," Narcissa whispered. "It's a comb, to brush your hair with."

The baby, Draco, scraped the comb in a downward course and then glanced at it, looking as though he was torn between chewing it and repeating the action of combing his mothers' hair. Although Narcissa looked like she would burst with joy at any minute, a dull ache was throbbing in her belly as the grandfather clock standing against the far wall of the parlour chimed.

The door to her right was still shut and the silencing charm the guest had cast, glimmered every now and then with a sparkling blue sheen. Draco gurgled as it did so, his interest in the comb long gone as it now lay on his belly, jiggling as he laughed and reached out for the gleam.

"Now, now," Narcissa cooed, his small fingers gripping around the end of her index finger. "I think it's time for a nap."

Inside the study, Lucius Malfoy sat slightly rigid in his chair whilst Tom Riddle examined the room in detail. The older, strikingly good looking man, perhaps even rivalling that of Lucius' good looks, held up a photo frame in his long, deadly fingers.

"You have quite the family, Lucius." Tom stated carelessly.

"Thank you, my lord." Lucius replied in a voice he didn't quite recognise to be his own regardless of its firm under stone. "I was truly blessed."

Tom merely grunted under his breath and placed the frame back on the mantle, "Yes," he muttered, turning to cast Lucius a dazzling smile. It set fear like cement in his stomach. "Our friend, Severus, has given me some information I find to be quite disturbing."

Lucius' lips curved into a snarl, "My lord?"

An amused smirk reached Tom's face, "I see you have a certain... _disdain_ for young Severus."

"We have never truly gotten along well, my lord," Lucius said shortly, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Although my wife insisted he be the Godfather to our Draco."

"I know all about his sentiments for some Mudblood witch," Tom waved a hand dismissively. "It's quite pathetic, but nevertheless, he is useful in his own ways. Would you like to know what he overheard tonight in The Leaky Cauldron?"

Lucius cleared his throat and straightened his back, "Yes, my lord. I am, forgive me for being bold, guessing that is why you have graced me with your presence this evening."

Tom let out a brilliant laugh and nodded his head, "Too right, Lucius, too right! You are a lot sharper than most people say you are!" he strolled over to the seat opposite Lucius and sat down. "I must admit however, I have never heard of a Malfoy having any brains _or_ bravery but, that's a topic we needn't discuss at this moment. You seem to be overstepping such boundaries in my eyes, unlike your father and grandfather."

Struck dumb, Lucius bit his tongue as to not retaliate to the insult, "Thank you, my lord."

Tom sat back in the chair lazily and rested his right ankle over his left knee, "You know of the Seer, Sybil Trelawney, no doubt. She did graduate before you, but, she was using her _skills _during her school years I hear."

Lucius simply nodded his head; he recalled her vaguely, having not actually met her.

"There is a prophecy," Tom began, his tone taking on a more serious bite. "About a boy who rivals my power; that this infant will, one day, defeat me. There are two children who match the criteria of the prophecy and tonight, we visit the first. I will return tonight at eight thirty, Lucius. Be ready." He stood up. "Godrics Hollow will be awaiting us."

And like that, Tom Riddle disappeared in a blur of black smoke.

Godrics Hollow? Lucius knew of only one family that lived there that had a newborn child. His heart dropped to his ankles as he reached a shaking hand for his bottle of Ogden's Finest. The amber liquid sloshed around in the thick, tear shaped glass before Lucius set the bottle back down and drained the glass empty.

His eyes, throat, chest and heart burned as he stood from his high, wing-backed chair. _Merlin_, he thought, _Severus you fool! You know not of what you've done! _

He exited his study, liquid courage forcing his bones to regain their strength as he headed for the staircase that would lead him to his wife and son. _His son_. If he had've refused Tom Marvolo Riddle's recruitment, his family would have ceased to exist. He continued to tell himself that the only reason he joined, was the keep his family safe. To see his son grow up, give him grandchildren and live happily ever after.

"Lucius?"

He hadn't realised he had reached the nursery until his wife's whisper of a voice sounded in his ears. His knuckles were white as he gripped the brass handle of the door and he felt hot, salty tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. In her silk night robe, she glided across the room to him gracefully.

"Cissy," he said quietly, taking hold of her hand in his and kissing her softly. "Oh Cissy, what have I done to you?"

"Lucius, what's happening?" Narcissa asked. "Please, tell me, what's wrong?"

"I'm going out tonight love," he told her cryptically as he walked over to the crib in which his son was sleeping soundly. "I may be late."

Narcissa covered a sob with her hand, "Oh Lucius." She breathed as he held her in his arms, his eyes trained on his son.

**-oOo-**

Eight Thirty was still an hour away when Tom reappeared in the drawing room, making every nerve in Lucius' body jump at the sudden appearance. Tom simply threw the hood of his cloak off, gave Lucius a sickeningly animalistic smile and pulled out his wand.

"We'll be Apparating to Godrics Hollow," he informed Lucius simply. "In time you'll be able to Phase like I do, but it will take longer than thirteen minutes to teach you I'm afraid."

Lucius stood from the chair in front of the fire and reached up for his own cloak. He had somehow managed to keep down his dinner and all the Ogden's he'd drunk since he last visited his sons' room. He was also quite proud of himself for shutting off his shaking as it had slowly gotten worse over the past few hours.

"I'm ready, my lord," Lucius said, clasping the silver-snake buckle at the neck of his cloak and pulling the cloak up.

"Very good," Tom nodded his head and pulled his cloak up once more, his glinting eyes malicious in the shadows it created. He held his elbow out to Lucius, "On three."

But as soon as Lucius placed his palm over the wizards elbow, he felt the familiar tug behind his navel, pulling him away from the warmth of his home and into the biting cold of Godrics Hollow. Releasing his Lord, Lucius peered around the otherwise empty, quaint street; the houses were small but cosy and most of the lights were out.

"This way," Tom instructed, his cloak dragging along the ground almost sinisterly behind him.

Lucius tried to keep his face hidden, but he had been brought for a reason. James needed to see him to allow them entry, he supposed. Although he did wonder how Lord Voldemort would gain access to the house at all, seeing as though it had a Fidelius Charm in place and the Secret Keeper was Sirius Black.

The low chuckle coming from his new Lord was dark and menacing, "That has all been taken care of, Lucius," Tom drawled.

Legillimency! Merlin... Lucius hadn't even felt him probe into his mind let alone make eye contact with him! This single realisation made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and almost made him stop dead in his tracks.

"There it is," Tom almost whispered, pointing to the next house. "The Potter residence." He chuckled again, "My, my, Pettigrew wasn't lying when he said it stood out amongst the Muggle homes."

"Pettigrew, my lord?" Lucius dared, not quite understanding what on earth he meant.

"Peter Pettigrew," Tom answered, turning to face him. A heavy church bell tolled in the distance. "He almost wet his pants when I found him. The rat will come of good use, I think. He already proved his loyalty by telling me the location of the house and setting in motion a chain of events that will have that traitorous cousin-in-law of yours sent straight to Azkaban. Not that it matters, but no one will even know I was here."

The world around them went grey as a second bell sounded. One more and it would be exactly eight o'clock. Lucius felt ill at this new information. Pettigrew he knew would always turn out to be disloyal; as soon as a better offer came around he'd leave his friends. But Sirius - Sirius hadn't done a thing, not really. The crazy mother-in-law Lucius had inherited marrying Narcissa - and deranged sister-in-law Bellatrix - had the kid burned off the family tree just because he ran away from home.

The final bell tolled and Lucius went numb.

"Shall we?" Tom motioned to the kissing gate which swung open on its own.

Merlin's soggy pants! Wandless, non-verbal magic and a skilled Legillimens? There were three reasons Lucius knew he'd made the right _wrong _choice in picking sides. Three reasons as to why no one would be able to defeat this maniac.

"After you," Tom said a little firmer, kicking Lucius' legs into gear and striding forward.

The house was small, comfortable but obviously magical. It just looked _different _in this neighbourhood, wizarding or not. The lights were on in the downstairs room he guessed to be the main sitting room and upstairs, a soft golden light was ebbing with a slow moving shadow being cast on the far wall. A humming noise carried itself to his ears and with a sickening tug at his heart, he instantly knew it was Lily Potter nee Evans nursing their child Harry, trying to put him down.

Lucius wanted to chuckle, comparing their child to his own, Draco. It was saddening to know that Draco would never grow up knowing Harry; Narcissa had made plans with Lily during their pregnancies to send the two boys to Hogwarts together.

Lucius pulled back the doorknocker and paused; gods this was _difficult._

He pulled it another inch higher and then slammed it back against the door panel. Once. Twice. Thrice. And then a final time that left the brass bar chattering against the wood slightly. It had been the best he could do for now, using Sound Runes to get James' attention.

The door swung open and James appeared, "Lucius?" he gasped. "How did you..."

James really was often as stupid as Lucius told him.

"Step aside," Tom said suddenly, pushing Lucius to the side.

James looked up into the shadowed figures hood, squinting, "Who..." James paled drastically and jerked backward. "Lily! Hide Harry! It's him! I'll hold him off!"

James' gaze shifted to Lucius, "_Traitor_." He managed before turning his back and darting for the staircase.

He didn't get far; Riddle laughed, a jet of green light hitting James square in the back and dropping him with a thud on the landing.

"You wait here," Tom ordered, sweeping up the staircase.

Lucius pressed his back against the wall, chest rising and falling shallowly, his heart racing and thundering against his ribs. His stinging eyes glanced up and locked on those of James Potter staring blankly back at him through a gap in the banister. He felt like a traitor all over and James had said it clearly. His knees felt weak.

"Please!" Lily screamed. "Not Harry! Please, take me instead! No!"

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

Lily's bloodcurdling scream was stopped dead. He listened hard; his eyes squeezed shut tightly before he heard that curse roared once more.

And then he waited.

For what seemed like an eternity, Lucius kept himself glued to that wall beside the front door, waiting for Tom to come back down. But he never did. So, confused with a throbbing headache, Lucius crept upstairs like he was trying not to wake someone up. He stopped at James' lifeless form, felt his breathing hitch and his heart skip a beat.

"Sorry Potter..." he whispered. "I..."

But he didn't know what to say at all. None of this... Lucius didn't know about all of this, if he had, he would've warned them. But he knew that somehow Riddle would find out about him contacting them. He just knew it and there was no one else he could trust to pass the message along.

Lucius found himself at the door to the nursery. He inhaled sharply and pushed off his hood, entering the room hesitantly. Baby Harry was standing up in the crib, his chubby face splotchy red and his big green eyes wet with tears. Lily was lying dead on the floor, her eyes, the same as Harry's, were open and blank like her husband's.

Fifteen month old Harry started wailing, holding his arms out to Lucius' familiar face. Shaking his head, he rushed over to the baby and picked him up, cradling him into the thick wool of his cloak.

"Shhh," Lucius whispered. "Shhh, Harry. Go to sleep. Go to sleep for mummy and daddy. Don't ever remember this night, little one. Don't ever think back on it. Shhh..."

Gently, he laid Harry back down in his cot, the bub now fast asleep. With another glance around the room, he wondered what had happened and how on earth this tiny child had defeated him; how the prophecy had come true without little Harry's magic even being properly developed.

Tom had been wrong when he said no one would know he was there that night. Not after Sybil's prophecy coming true, not after this child had just destroyed the Darkest Wizard known to wizarding kind. The boy _would_ be famous.

Lucius had to remind himself however, as he stared down at the sleeping baby, that he didn't do it for himself, he didn't allow himself to be recruited for some cause; he did it for his family; he did it because he had no choice. Tonight was a bittersweet sacrifice, but it had to be made.

"I'll see you soon, child." Lucius whispered before Disapparating back to Malfoy Manor.

Back to his wife and back to his child.

The Dark Lord would rise again, but this time, he would be ready for him.

**Author's Notes:** I hope you liked this! I'm not really happy with it but I wrote it in like an hour so I guess sloppiness is to be expected. Give me some feedback! Did you like it? Did you not like it? Bring it on :) oh and by the way, when I used the word 'Phase' it was a reference to the whole black smoke thing the Death Eater's do because I have no idea what it is and I couldn't find a reference to it anywhere on the net either. It has NOTHING to do with Twilight! Ick. And 'Sound Runes' I made up for the sake of this fic.


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